Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher made the Alabama-Texas A&M matchup a rivalry after a recruiting dust-up in the spring of 2022.
Saban and the Crimson Tide won the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium last year, but Fisher and the Aggies handled Alabama at Kyle Field in the previous season. The contest returns to the 12th Man on Saturday as the SEC West is up for grabs. Both schools enter the matchup with a blemish on their records. Texas A&M fell to Miami in week two, while Steve Sarkisian and Texas got the better of Alabama in week two. The national media and Aggies’ wide receiver, Ainias Smith, have boosted the hype on the game.
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Texas A&M has improved since its loss to the Hurricanes. Max Johnson, a former LSU transfer, stabilizes the offense as the Aggies’ quarterback. He replaced an injured Conner Weigman and has six touchdown passes to one interception. TAMU has a balanced rushing attack with Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels having two rushing scores apiece. The Aggies potentially have the best wide receiver room in college football. Evan Stewart headlines the group with 24 catches for 357 yards and four touchdowns.
Noah Thomas has 11 catches, including four for scores. Smith has 22 catches for 343 yards.
Defensively, Texas A&M comes in with 20 sacks, 49 tackles for loss, 23 pass breakups, 10 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Edgerrin Cooper, a linebacker, anchors the defense with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Brian Jones, a CBS Sports analyst, likes how Texas A&M responded since the Miami loss. He has the Aggies defeating Alabama at Kyle Field for a second time under Coach Fisher. Jones believes the Aggies have enough to topple the Tide.
The @AggieFootball defense has bounced back after an early loss to Miami.
.@JonesN4mo loves their defense, and he’s the only member of the crew brave enough to take Texas A&M in the CBS game of the week vs. Alabama 👀 pic.twitter.com/xEhoJhj8G3
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 4, 2023
“They have stepped up and are playing at an incredible level,” Jones said about the Aggies’ defense since losing to Miami.
RELATED: Texas A&M WR Ainias Smith making Alabama game personal after brother’s exit from Tuscaloosa
“Last week, they held Arkansas to 42 yards rushing, less than 200 yards of total offense, and KJ Jefferson has negative three yards rushing. They had seven sacks again, so that’s back-to-back games with seven sacks. They had 15 tackles for loss, and I know stats don’t tell you a lot, but they tell you more than you think. I am going with the Aggies at home.”
Jones discussed how Texas A&M roughed up Jefferson for Arkansas, and he feels Jefferson is better a passer than Jalen Milroe.
Milroe, a native of Katy, Texas, returns to his home state for a marquee showdown. He has an opportunity to silence the national media, continue Alabama’s push toward the College Football Playoff, and possibly start a Heisman campaign for himself.
We will see how he and the Tide handle everything at College Station, Texas.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
